


Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime

by john_paul_george_ringo



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, John just loves his kids the whole fic, tiny bit of angst at the start
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:34:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/john_paul_george_ringo/pseuds/john_paul_george_ringo
Summary: December 1983: After a hectic month and year, John is reminded of his Christmas, Past, and Present...
Relationships: John Deacon/Veronica Tetzlaff
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime

This Christmas had been different, now that John thought back. Perhaps it was the arrival of baby Joshua - who'd been born earlier in the month, or maybe it was because he'd realized how much he had in life and felt eternally grateful.

John hadn't always had a life to be grateful for, the death of his father hung over him each December - like the ghost of Christmas past, his brain engraved with the horrible memories due to the loss of his parent.

Music had always been his escape. The lyrics could always reflect his emotions, the rhythm able to change his perception of life. So that was one thing that John could be grateful for this year, music. His band - Queen - who he was the bassist for, another thing to be thankful for, taking him all around the world, meeting amazing people, and seeing amazing things.

But there was something, or more someone, who he loved more than anyone. And that was Veronica. As he sits now on the couch, the lights of the Christmas tree softly glowing, lighting up the room, he watches as Veronica breastfeed Josh.

She was amazing with the kids, always so good at giving advice - not just to them, him also. She also gave the best cuddles and reassurance, something John found he needed a lot. When Ronnie held him close, he felt that time stopped for a moment - another thing to be grateful for as John always felt that time was running out. Veronica was his ghost of Christmas present, the best gift in his life, and the only person that he needed to make life much better.

Her smile could light up the room far brighter than the Christmas tree, no matter how tired or how stressed she was. This December was a difficult one for her, being nine months pregnant for half of the month, and spent the other half running around preparing for the holiday. John sometimes felt pretty useless, as she did most of the work, but he hoped that she'd felt grateful that he'd been there to help this month - mainly with the kids.

The kids were definitely John's ghost of Christmas future - but a little less morbid than the one in A Christmas Carol. Robert, Michael, Laura, and now Josh brought him immense joy and he hoped they would for the rest of his life. He never thought he was cut out to be a dad, but each time he held his newborn children, his heart knew that he was born to do this - be a father.

The boys sit on the floor, Mike building a Lego set - which he'd screamed at when he unwrapped it - and Rob playing with his action figures - another Christmas gift - as Laura sat in John's arms, cuddling up to him - exhausted after waking up at 4 am, begging to open her presents - with the baby in Ronnie's arms. That was the family dynamic: Robert tended to do something active and adventurous, Michael liked to follow the rules and stay quiet (a trait picked up from John) and Laura enjoyed cuddling or listening to her dad whisper her a lullaby after having an exciting day.

It was too early to tell about Josh, but that was the excitement of a new baby - finding out what sort of person they would become.

John felt an obscure feeling at this moment. One of those 'Proud Father Moments' where you realize how perfect life really is. His entire childhood John wished for a normal, stable, suburban life with no dramatic deaths - something he was glad to hopefully be able to give to his kids. No matter how old they become, they'll always be his babies. Rob especially was growing taller and taller by the day, making John wish he'd appreciate the times when Rob was small and fell asleep during Brian's extra-long guitar solos - but he'd see that in Josh before he knew it.

That made John recall Christmas Eve of '75, where he'd phoned Ronnie after Queen's gig at the Hammersmith Odeon and she'd told him how Rob had fallen fast asleep as Brian played his ten-minute long guitar solo - definitely taking after his father.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Veronica carefully put Josh down for the night, just as exhausted as he was. She carefully tiptoed in the dark back to the front room, where Christmas music blasted from the stereo. The house was beautifully decorated, mainly John and his roadie - Ratty's - work as she'd been too clumsy and pregnant to do it.

She grins, watching her boys play, and her little girl snuggles up with John. Ronnie sighs, finally relaxing for the first time this month, the only thing left to worry about this year was the next one.

She also cuddles up next to her husband next to Laura. John lightly kisses her forehead, thankful for both of his beautiful girls.

"Merry Christmas, my love," John speaks, using his free hand to run his fingers through Ronnie's hair. She glances up at him, smiling.

"You look tired, honey." He mumbles, noting the pronounced dark circles under her eyes.

"It's because I've been awake since three am with the baby, and then didn't fall back to sleep 'cause of this little one..." she replies, stroking the top of Laura's head lovingly.

"You can lie in tomorrow, though." John yawns.

"That's unlikely. I haven't slept in since 1974 I think." She giggles, yawning too. "Plus the kids will be up at the crack of dawn playing with their presents, and asking for batteries."

"True. We put this on ourselves, having such a large family..." he laughs

"But that's what I love about Christmas. Family. Being together, just the six of us." She replies.

"Gosh, six! Remember when it was just two of us?" He laughs.

"Mhm," Veronica replies, "but I like there being more of us, makes Christmas more fun."

He kisses her on the lips now, an action they never took part in while the kids were present.

"What was that for?" She laughs, shocked at his bold move.

"Mistletoe," He nods upwards, the plant stuck directly above their heads, "Ratty put it up when we were decorating. I'm glad he did - gives me an excuse to kiss you..."

"Ah very sneaky," she looks at his lips, "Guess we can't waste it..." she leans in for another kiss, less chaste as John holds her close. They pull away, eventually, and erupt in quiet laughs as none of the children even noticed - all exhausted from a large lunch and sugar high.

"We have to be careful or they'll be another one in nine months," she jokes.

"Would that be so bad?" He says, seriously.

"I'm pretty sure I'm retired from giving birth for a while, but ask me again in a decade or so!" She smiles. John was right - her grin did light up the room and his heart.

It was now he makes his final realization of the night. Family. They were his past, his present, and his future. That was the way it should be. For him, Christmas wasn't about religion as it was for Ronnie, it was about family. And that's why John now loved Christmas.

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been in my head all month, and although not all of us are able to spend Christmas with all of our families, I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! :)


End file.
